Healthcare Design

Healthcare Design Principles

1. Clarity saves lives. Ambiguous labels in medical contexts are dangerous.
2. Accessibility is critical. Patients range from elderly to visually impaired to non-native speakers.
3. Privacy by design. HIPAA compliance is the floor. Design for dignity.
4. Reduce cognitive load. Sick people can't process complex interfaces.
5. Offline capability. Healthcare settings often have unreliable connectivity.

Patterns

• Medication lists: Drug name, dosage, frequency, time. Clear visual separation.
• Appointment scheduling: Calendar with available slots, confirmation + reminder.
• Lab results: Normal range indicators, trend over time, plain-language explanation.
• Emergency information: Always accessible, no login required.

Typography

• Minimum 16px body text (often 18px for patient-facing).
• High contrast ratios (WCAG AAA for critical information).
• Never use red/green as only differentiator (color blindness).